College Nights
by Violet Wings
Summary: A young coterie is sent to a far-off college after news of a deadly attack reaches the Kindred community. Their assignment is to prove themselves worthy to their covenant, but as they dig deeper, they find a cult whose teachings leave a trail of blood.
1. Prelude  A Gruesome Murder

This story is based off of the rulebooks **Vampire: The Requiem** and **Ordo Dracul**, both of which belong to White-Wolf Publishing.

As a sort of disclaimer, I do not think people should go around acting like vampires, draining blood from victims and killing innocents. That's just not very nice.

_**Weatherson News**_

_**Gruesome Murder at LeVay College**_

_**October 22, 2010**_

_Police have confirmed the death of Logan Samuels, a 20-year-old junior who attended LeVay College, after a gruesome scene left both school administrators and city officials startled. _

_The school, having a reputation for academic success and promotion of diversity, opened its doors last Monday in order to give international students time to move in. Nearly a hundred students made their way back to the college, hoping to get a head start on buying necessary books and equipment. Logan Samuels, though not an international student, was involved in a number of rigorous activities at the college and returned early in order to buy his books and determine his final working schedule._

_Police were immediately called by school officials after his body was found dangling from a chandelier hanging from the ceiling of the college chapel. Few details are being released on the exact cause of death, but police have stated that the "amount of blood was astonishing" and that "they have never seen anything quite like this." Details that have been released indicate that it was indeed a violent struggle, as his corpse was mutilated and several organs had been removed before he was hung from his neck. The exact reasoning behind the murder is still a mystery._

_Many local citizens are skeptical of the location of the murder. Some local religious figures have argued against the extreme liberal arts education LeVay College prides itself in providing to students, for they believe such an education devalues the necessity of religion in a student's life. The fact that such a gruesome murder occurred within the church, one religious figurehead stated, reveals how this sort of education can be dangerous._

"_We feel that religion is not pressed enough at this school," Gregory Jesson, a member of the local church, stated. "It is because students are not forced to be taught morals that these sorts of things happen."_

_Lex Talionis, the President of LeVay College, was extremely upset by the death and made a rather lengthy comment regarding the issue. _

"_I find it appalling that certain members of our community are using this death for their own political purposes," he remarked the day after the murder. "We are doing everything we can to bring the person responsible for the murder to justice, and we only wish that this never had to happen. This is a tragedy, and we want both parents and students to know that this appears to be an isolated incident, and that their students will be protected and taken care of during this semester."_

_Indeed, reports of security guards wandering late at night on the college grounds has pushed several students to staying inside, yet many parents are worried for their student's safety._

_Still, there is little being said on the exact details of the murder. While Talionis insists it was an isolated incident, very few pieces of evidence make this seem plausible. _

"_The police and the school are doing everything we can," Talionis stated. "That is all we really can do. Right now, we have to focus on preparing our students for the education they are about to receive. While this is an important and very serious matter, we cannot let it control our agenda for the next several months. We wish the family our sincerest regards and hope that this matter will illustrate how we need the community's support if we are to properly educate people."_

_LeVay College has been known to have several financial problems in the past, yet their recent rise in students have left them in good figures. Many of the people in the community dislike the college atmosphere, however, and believe it brings trouble. A murder like this, however, was never predicted, and it has severely shocked a number of community figures._

"_If any student feels threatened, they need to contact our public safety officers, who work day and night to provide help and transportation, and report it," Talionis remarked. "In the end, we must all look out for one another and do what we can to protect each other."_

_Logan Samuels was a junior majoring in both Religious Studies and Philosophy. His parents said he was a devoted Christian and that he worked day-and-night for his local church before choosing to move to LeVay College._

"_We didn't really understand his choosing of LeVay College," Mr. Samuels admitted. "He said he wanted to be outside his normal boundaries, that he hoped being in a liberal arts college would not only educate him but strengthen his faith. We did not like it, but he was firm in his belief that it would make him a better person. We ended up believing it, and now we aren't sure if we were fools. It is…it is a loss, to be sure."_

_The Reverend at LeVay had similar comments._

"_He was dedicated to his work and his religion," Reverend Clarke stated. "He worked for us and organized many events. He was open-minded and always ready to learn something new. It is a terrible shame to his family, the community, and the church that such a death should happen."_

_Logan received A's during the majority of his school years, from kindergarten up until his last semester in college, and was known as a very respectful kid. He played soccer and participated in the Boy Scouts for several years before playing trumpet in the marching band at his local school. He was also known to sing for his church choir. At college, Logan worked as a tutor for philosophy and organized a majority of events held at the church. Outside of academics and extra-curricular activities, Logan enjoyed playing video games with his friends, going to the movies, spending time with his girlfriend, and reading historical textbooks._

_His funeral will be held in town on Saturday for his family. A ceremony for his death is scheduled to be held the following Sunday at LeVay College, which is open to the public. _

_ Chloe Johnson_

_ Weatherson News_


	2. Ch1: A New Semester

_**Chapter 1: A New Semester**_

She never thought she'd see the day when she stepped out of a car in a college parking lot. Not again, anyways. Not after her tragic death, in which she was bled dry in the computer lab that cold, autumn evening. Not since she was forced to leave town, leave her life behind, which included her studies and academic career.

Sighing, Sera Parkins circles the blue minivan and waits for the click of the trunk door unlocking before pushing the door upwards, revealing a large pile of bags, suitcases, and backpacks. She finds her light blue backpack and pulls it out from the rest, using a good majority of her strength to do so. She slings it over her shoulder, checking the other bags to see where her suitcase is, when a hand pats her free shoulder to get her attention. She turns and sees Dani Akahira smirking at her, his free hand placed on his hip.

"You in a hurry, young lady?" he jokes as he reaches forward into the pile, grabbing his black and red checkered backpack. "Excited for the college experience which awaits you?"

Sera chuckles and rolls her eyes. "Please, I had college for two years. Never thought I'd be back, to be honest."

"Yeah, well, we aren't here for casual business. Once we're done with this mission, I'm sure we will have plenty of time to study."

"I suppose."

"You two getting your stuff out already?" The scratchy voice attracts both their attentions, and they turn to see Julian lean against the side of the minivan. "Don't want to take a look around the campus first?"

"We'll do that after we settle in," answers Dani. Peeking around the edge of the car, he asks, "Where is Jack Ripper?"

"Oh, grow up!" Sera punches him lightly on the shoulder, causing Julian to chuckle. "You've been calling him that the whole ride down here!"

"Yeah, well, it doesn't help my suspicions when he refuses to say a word to me, now does it?"

"That's because you were too busy listening to your iPod in the car!"

"All right you two, that's enough!" Julian exclaims, crossing his arms over his chest. "Remember, this is an assignment. Your first assignment from the covenant. No screwing this up, or else it's all of your asses! We clear?"

Sera and Dani both nod their heads.

"Good. Now start unloading this shit. Jack is already inside checking out the apartment. I'm going to go in to examine what we have and determine what we need. I can't be standing out here for too long; someone might see me and become suspicious."

The two watch as he crosses the small lawn and enters the two-story apartment. Sera looks back at the pile and sees her suitcase near the top of the stack. She pulls the suitcase out and steps aside for Dani before heading towards the entrance.

The lawn is very small, and down the street she can see numerous cars parked along the cement sidewalk, students and parents alike pouring out. Most are already saying goodbyes, waving to their parents as they drive away with tears in their eyes, yet some are just arriving, bags and furniture bulging out of the car windows and trunks. The street lights and moon illuminate the street, and the lights coming from the line of apartments on both sides of the street seem to light up the lawns and nearby trees. It is a lively night, a night for new beginnings.

Sera chuckles and shakes her head before opening the white, wooden front door and slipping into the apartment. She sees two, lone, dark blue couches in the center, as well as a small, wooden entertainment center. A wooden staircase to her left presumably leads up to the bedrooms and bathroom, and to her right she can see an open doorframe leading into a dining room and kitchen. It is small, a bit too small in her opinion, but then again it is college. The students aren't supposed to be living in luxury…or four to an apartment, for that matter.

She walks over to the nearby couch and drops her belongings, stretching her arms out before taking a seat. Four long hours in the car…it was already one in the morning. How was it that people were just now arriving? How long were their drives in?

The banging of the door grabs her attention, and she smirks as Dani pushes himself through the doorway. He frowns at her and rolls his eyes.

"You just gonna sit there and let us men do all the work?"

"Well, if you are offering…"

He smirks and begins walking past her. As he starts ascending the stairs, he quickly turns and says, "Like hell!" before continuing his ascent. She laughs and grabs her things, following him up. Turning the sharp corner, she enters one of the three rooms located along the hallway and tosses her things onto the futon-like bed.

"Are all of our rooms like this?" she calls out to the others.

"Yeah, I think so," Dani replies. "Is yours white with a futon?"

"Yeah, basically." Indeed, both the floors and walls are white, yet the carpet is surprisingly soft beneath her sneakers. A little closet is located on her left, and a lit ceiling fan brightens the room. She sees a window above her bed and quickly rushes over, shutting the blinds before exiting the room. "Hey, what are we doing about the windows?"

She sees Jack exit the room closest to the stairwell carrying thick, black sheets. He smiles and walks up to her, handing her one before setting the other one against the wall. "It protects us against sunlight," he states, noticing her look of confusion. "Take down your blinds and place it over the window. From the outside, it will look like we have black window curtains. Julian brought them along since he knew there would be windows in our rooms."

Uttering a small thanks, she reenters her room and begins the process of unhooking the blinds. She growls as the edges cut into her skin but soon pulls with enough strength to detach it. She then sets the black plate over the window, surprised at how naturally it fits, and steps back to see it fall forward onto her bed.

"Is it supposed to stick to the walls or something?" she shouts as she tries setting it up a second time.

"No!" Dani shouts back. "You need to hook it up. I have the box of hooks, just give me a sec."

She rolls her eyes once more and waits for Dani to enter the room, the small, plastic box of silver hooks in his hands. "Just pull the backings off, and it will stick to the walls. Then hang the plate from the hooks, and it will clasp itself to the outline of the windows. Don't ask me how it works; Jack just said Julian was given them from the covenant. I guess they want us to survive this little fiasco after all."

Sera nods in understanding and pulls the tabs off the backs of the hooks. She then carefully places them above the window frame, making sure they are aligned and straightened before forcing them onto the wall. Grabbing the plate, she carefully slides the hooks through the holes, smiling in success when it falls forward against the window. She watches as it carefully seals itself to the wall, the edges seemingly clutching to the white paint.

"Are these plates magical or something?"

"Not sure, but I guess the covenant has faced problems like this before. It's nice to know technology has its purposes."

"Wonder if Julian came up with this idea on his own."

"He might have. He's usually sent to deal with young newcomers like us. He probably knows what to expect when we are sent to foreign places like this, where you can't just get a Kindred-certified room."

"Then why do so many Kindred from home bitch about windows if we have this technology?"

"Not sure. Maybe the materials used in making them are hard to get?"

"Maybe."

"Anyways, let's head back downstairs and help them unload. I don't need Julian bitching me out the first night."

Sera nods her head in agreement and jumps off the bed, following Dani down the stairs and through the living room. Julian is standing in front of the entertainment center, watching as Jack comes back inside, bags placed over his shoulders. Dani smirks and asks, "How many more bags are left?"

"Three or four," Jack answers.

"If you manage to carry them all in, just close the minivan and lock it up," Julian orders, tossing the keys to Dani. "I don't like having the trunk open for all to see."

The duo exits the apartment and approaches the trunk of the minivan once more. Sera grabs a briefcase and suitcase, leaving Dani the remaining two suitcases. He chuckles and takes them out before slamming the trunk door shut and locking it with the keys. He turns to look down the street towards the other apartments. "What do you think they'll think of us, a group of young adults who take night courses yet live on-campus?"

"They'll think we're amusing, what else?" Sera replies. "There were plenty of kids at the college I went to who stayed inside most days. It isn't as big of a deal as you would expect."

"Hey, I went to college too, you know? Well, more a technical school, but I remember how there were the weird ones. That's what we will be, I guess. The weird ones."

Sera pats his shoulder and begins walking ahead of him. "You don't let that stupid shit still bother you, do you?"

"Of course not. It just gives this experience a bit of perspective."

"I guess so."

Entering the apartment once more, she sets the bags down on the dark blue carpet and takes a seat on one of the couches. Dani follows suit and sits in a reclining chair, leaning forward to peek into the adjacent dining room. He then leans back into the seat and stares up at the ceiling.

"I guess we will have to come up with some aliases to go by, just in case students begin asking us questions about our classes or whatnot. I'm thinking eccentric, starving artist. Something stereotypical. What do you think?"

"I think you two need to get off your lazy asses," Julian responds. The two turn to see Jack descending the staircase. He crosses the room and silently sits next to Sera, his eyes barely moving to look at her. She realizes that he has indeed said little to any of them since their car ride began, and she wonders if he is quiet by nature or concerned about the mission.

"_He looks threatening, that's for sure,_" she notes, briefly reflecting on his appearance. A muscular black man with a bald head, he was wearing a regular, brown t-shirt and black cargo pants. His hands, which went back and forth from opened to fists, were protected by black, fingerless gloves, and as he made himself comfortable against the back of the couch, he propped one leg onto his knee, revealing brown combat boots. "_He sure looks like he just got released from the military._"

And then there was Dani. Dani was a curiosity to Sera ever since they tossed their belongings into the back of that minivan nearly five hours ago, preparing for the trip ahead. He had shown up nearly fifteen minutes late, his backpack slung carelessly over his shoulder, his iPod blasting so loudly they could hear it across the parking lot. He was dressed entirely in black, yet it wasn't casual or Gothic like one would expect. His button-down, black shirt was tucked into his black, almost business suit pants, and his sneakers were surprisingly clean, as though they were brand new. He was wearing a shiny, light blue tie, and his black fedora completed the outfit, making him appear to be more of a mobster than an average photographer. He talked about his photography a bit on the way down but mostly kept to himself, listening to his iPod and banging his head back and forth every so often, his long, black hair swinging from side to side beneath his hat as he did so.

What intrigued Sera was his obvious origins. It was clear he was Asian, but whether he was Japanese, Chinese, or Korean, Sera could not ascertain. And where he got the name Dani from was anyone's guess. But an Asian Kindred was a rare site, an even rarer one when said Kindred was found within the Ordo Dracul covenant. What his role was and what his goals were in all of this, Sera could hardly begin to imagine.

"_And these are the people who I am supposed to live with for the next three months while investigating a murder. How enjoyable._"

"So, now that we are a bit settled in, let us get to the matter at hand." Julian walks over to the door, shutting it and locking it tight, before returning to his position in front of the empty entertainment center. He clasps his hands together and smirks. His deathly pale skin seems to glow underneath the yellow light of the living room, and his complete black eyes make him appear more monster than human. He was a Nosferatu, a deadly yet educated one from Sera's understanding, and he seemed like a decent enough teacher. She had heard stories of him training coteries with anywhere from two to ten students, and a majority of the students admitted to learning a good thing or two from him. Still, his appearance sent shivers down everyone's spines.

"You all know why we have been sent here. Logan Samuels was brutally killed here several days ago, and it is now known to us to be the workings of a Kindred. As such, it has attracted the attention of the media as well as the police. This is an obvious breach in the Masquerade, yet the town officials, including the local Prince, are doing little about it. We have been charged by the covenant to stick our noses into this business and to make sure that whatever supernatural is causing this occurrence is put down like the dog he is."

"Excuse me, Julian, but why are we worrying ourselves over this?" Jack questions in a deep voice. Both Sera and Dani turn in surprise; it is the first thing he has said to Julian since they began driving here. "I mean, this is a serious affair, yes, but why us?"

"Well, you three are supposed to think of this as an exam. This is a test, a test for you to demonstrate your ability to work with other Dragons as well as to prove what you have learned so far. I am merely here to point you in the right direction and make sure you stay on task. You will be doing a majority of the research and evaluations on your own, and this apartment is meant to act as a sort of base for operations. Is this understood?"

"So the covenant isn't so much interested in the occurrence as it is using this opportunity as a way of training students?" Dani questions, eyeing Julian suspiciously.

"Well, I wouldn't say that. It is a rather unique place to observe human behavior, colleges. I will be taking notes on the changes in behavior while I am here. I have my own research to conduct as well, you know."

"What was it that made this murder so violent?" asks Sera. "Why is it such a big deal?"

"Apparently the kid was torn apart," answered Julian. "Torn to shreds, they say, but whether that is just over exaggeration or the truth remains to be seen. He was hanging from the ceiling, and the amount of blood indicates that his death was rather drawn out and violent."

"Can't humans do the same thing, though?" Dani counters. "I mean, humans have been known to commit atrocious acts just like Kindred. How do we know it isn't just some insane guy from the local asylum who got loose and went nuts?"

"Let me ask you this. Would a human have drained the victim dry and used _another_ person's blood for a ritual?"

"What?" Sera and Dani both shout. Jack recoils slightly in his seat at the statement.

"What was released in the paper is hardly the true story. Yes, the scene was vicious and bloody, but the forensics behind the scene was even worse. Mr. Samuels was drained dry, and a good portion of his blood was found scattered on the pews and floor of the church. But there was supernatural blood there as well. Vitae was collected, by the police no less! Fortunately we were able to get our hands on it before tests were completed, but it proved that there was indeed a Kindred involved."

"How did you find all this out before we got here?" Dani asks.

Julian smirks. "Believe me, kid, when I say the Nosferatu are capable of getting any sort of knowledge."

Dani clears his throat and leans back in his seat.

"So, a Kindred was involved in a brutal killing," Sera observes. "But why our covenant? Isn't the Lancea Sanctum in charge around here?"

"Yes, but they haven't much proven their worth in this case. They believe it to be the work of a heretic Kindred, yet they are doing little about it. One minor incident is no cause for alarm, particularly when they are in charge of the local churches. They believe they have the situation under control."

"And what makes our superiors in the Order believe differently?" Jack questions.

"It is hard to say, but my superiors believe that this is a perfect opportunity for you three to prove your merit to the covenant. Usually we have you three kill an individual and chase the changes in behavior. With this situation, the kill has already been made, and we can take out an enemy to our kind while focusing on your training."

"Yeah, but all the way out here? Four hours away from home?"

"We Ordo Dracul used to have a rather powerful influence in this area, and we like to think we still have a bit of control over certain Kindred. After all, we have double-agents within the Lancea Sanctum, and there are a few loyal followers still wandering through from time to time. Just because the distance is far doesn't mean the influence necessarily is waning."

"But this place is controlled by the Lancea Sanctum," Dani remarks. "How does that help our influence?"

"You kids are just full of questions tonight, aren't you?" He chuckles at their confused expressions and shakes his head. "Just know this. This is your test. If you fail, then you will be forced to retake a majority of your courses within the covenant, and it will take longer to increase your status. If you succeed, you will gain recognition from your peers, be able to present your successes to the superiors, and may even gain an increase in status."

"Well, I'm sold," Dani states as he stands out of his seat. "Finding a rogue Kindred shouldn't be that hard, particularly in a place like this. It isn't like there is a whole coalition of them, otherwise the college students would have surely discovered them by now."

Sera turns to see Jack frowning at Julian and wonders if he buys into Julian's story. "_I don't know what to make of it, but then again, there is very little I can do about it. I'm stuck here doing the covenant's work, and no amount of complaining will change that. Besides, it isn't like I can just take the minivan and leave if I don't feel like doing the work._"

"I want to take a look around the campus," Dani states as he begins walking up the stairs. "I'm bringing my camera along."

"And I'm going to go unpack," Jack adds, standing and walking past Julian towards the stairs. Julian smirks and glances over at Sera.

"What about you, Sera? What do you want to do?"

"I think I am going to tag along with Dani," she answers, standing up from her seat and stretching her arms once more. "I want to get a drink real quick, and I'd also like to see where certain buildings are."

"Be careful. College students are the worst kind of prey. They are young, peculiar, and tricky to follow. You should know; you were one at one point, were you not?"

Sera chuckles sadly as she sees Dani descending the stairs, an expensive-looking camera swinging from his neck. "Yes, yes I was once. Dani, mind if I come with you?"

"No, just as long as you don't try to ruin any of my pictures."

Nodding her head, she follows him to the door and takes one last look at Julian, who has since begun climbing up the stairs. She then walks outside and closes the door behind her.


End file.
